A CHARITY has taken to the road as part of a drive to encourage youngsters to consider becoming organ donors.

Milnthorpe-based group The Gift of Life and its touring trailer parked up outside Kendal's Leisure Centre last week in a bid to raise awareness of the need for people to become donors.

Mike Waters from the charity which aims to raise the profile of organ and tissue donation among both adults and children said he was pleased with the response.

"We are aiming this at 7-11 year olds. They can come on board and through the educational displays find out how different life is for a child or adult waiting for a transplant.

"This is not meant to be hard-hitting, all we want to do is get children and their families talking about it to create some discussion. A child can carry a donor card but at the end of the day it is always the next of kin who have the final say."

The charity, which has now been going for four years and has an educational programme which is written around the National Curriculum, plans take its message to schools in Cumbria and Lancashire at Easter.

Mr Waters, who formerly worked in an intensive care unit, said he set the charity up when he realised how little information there was about organ donation.

"I realised that if I knew so little about the benefits of organ donation how was it possible for the public to make an informed choice. So I decided to do something about it and let people know the difference can make to someone's life."

He added that by raising awareness among youngsters it may help to ensure that there are more donors for future generations.

For more details about The Gift of Life log on to www.gift-of-life.org.uk or call 0870-8731233.

l The charity is also looking to recruit keen golfers for a celebrity golf day at The Belfrey on July 4.